Crosby Next Up for a New Contract

Green Bay Packers place kicker Mason Crosby is one of the few "must keep" free agents.  In fact he may be the only ‘no-brainer’ left in the entire group.  The reasons for keeping Crosby are pretty basic.  Good kickers, which Crosby certainly is, are hard to find.

Green Bay Packers General Manager Ted Thompson has a whopping 17 free agents who he will have to make definitive decisions on in the near future.  Included are 4 restricted and exclusive rights and 13 unrestricted free agents after signing veteran DT Letroy Guion to a three year deal last week.

It is great sport for fans to speculate on who Ted will keep and who he will allow to leave for more lucrative deals.  A few are as good as gone such as Sean Richardson (injured) and Casey Hayward where young and talented – not to mention cheap –alternatives already exist on the roster.  A few are highly-likely to stay, such as Chris Banjo and Justin Perillo who are exclusive rights free agents.  Mike Neal and/or Nick Perry are coin flips.  A select few are ‘must keep’.   

Packers place kicker Mason Crosby is one of them.  In fact he may be the only ‘no-brainer’ left in the entire group.   

The reasons for keeping Crosby are pretty basic.  Good kickers, which Crosby certainly is, are hard to find.  Those that can succeed in the cold outdoors late in the season are held in high regard.  In Green Bay that is not only an admirable trait but a necessity.  The Baltimore Ravens’ kicker Justin Tucker is the only other outdoor kicker in Crosby’s class and sure to command top dollar should either hit the open market.

Crosby’s 2015 campaign might have been his finest as a pro. With a career 79.9% accuracy rate Crosby concluded the season with an 85.7% mark, his second best in his career.  In addition he was a perfect 36 of 36 on extra points - notable in that the league increased the distance on extra points.  Plus Crosby is a cold weather kicker. Remarkably Crosby has missed only four extra points in his entire career (437 of 441). He was also good on 4 or 5 (80%) field goals over 50 yards in 2015 and 51.5% of his kickoffs resulted in touchbacks – both were career bests.

Crosby rebounded from a disastrous 2012 season where he converted a league low 63.6% of field goals.  Fans were clamoring for Crosby’s scalp at the time but the Packers stuck with him and it paid off handsomely in subsequent years.

The free agent kicker has made it known that he and his family are comfortable in Green Bay and are hopeful that a contract can be agreed upon to allow him to stay with the Packers.

With the highly anticipated (at least outside of Green Bay) free agent signing period to commence on March 9, look for general manager Ted Thompson to lock up Crosby slightly before that date in much the same manner that he signed coveted free agents Randall Cobb and Bryan Bulaga in 2015.

 

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Comments (17)

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RCPackerFan's picture

February 18, 2016 at 06:37 am

Crosby is the most important Free agent to be signed this year. If they can't agree on a deal I would franchise tag him.

After him, I think they have to sign at least one between Neal and Perry.

I would like to see them resign Hayward because you can never have to many good CB's, but I think his price is going to get to high for them to resign him. Plus I believe they drafted his replacement last year in Rollins. Throw in Randall, Gunter and Robertson-Daniel and they have a very young and good group of CB's.

Since they already resigned Guion, they wouldn't have to resign Raji, but I would like to see him return.

Outside of those players everyone else really can be let go. I like Kuhn, but they drafted his replacement in Ripkowski.

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Rossonero's picture

February 18, 2016 at 08:49 am

Hayward needs to go. He can only be effective in the slot. He struggled mightily outside, in man coverage and was average in zone coverage. No sacks in 4 years, he can't blitz either. That would not be smart of the Packers to pay someone like that. I think he lost a step after his foot surgery too. He's this year's Davon House.

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Since'61's picture

February 18, 2016 at 07:04 am

Sign Crosby and Perry. Chuck the rest and use the money for a TE and ILB. Thanks, Since '61

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Rossonero's picture

February 18, 2016 at 08:54 am

Martellus Bennett and the Bears are at odds over his contract. I'd love to see him in a Packers uniform. He had 90 catches in 2014 and went to the Pro Bowl.

You want Perry back? Why? He was a huge bust. I know he had some sacks near the end of the season, but by and large, he was a huge disappointment.

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RCPackerFan's picture

February 18, 2016 at 09:08 am

'Martellus Bennett and the Bears are at odds over his contract.'

I have seen this. I have heard rumors that he is going to get released. If he would I would love to see Green Bay go after him.
He would provide that much needed boost that we really need at TE. Also he would not count against the compensation picks.

It would make a lot of sense.

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Since'61's picture

February 18, 2016 at 10:06 am

Rossonero - I agree that Perry has been a disappointment but I think he still has more upside than Neal. Perry maintains the edge and he can get after the QB. I would offer him a 1 year maybe 2 year deal at the most with little guaranteed money, 500K guaranteed at the most.
As for Bennett if we have the chance we need to make him a serious offer, no doubt it. Signing a FA TE enables us to focus on the OL and ILB in draft and add some depth at WR and RB. Thanks, Since '61

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egbertsouse's picture

February 18, 2016 at 07:46 am

He's the ONLY must sign on the team. The rest are just guys. Sign them if you can get them cheap, otherwise dump them. Don't panic and do another Guion overpay.

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JerseyAl's picture

February 18, 2016 at 07:51 am

Guion was not overpaid. Only $500k guaranteed money and 3.5 million in roster and workout bonuses. It was a good deal for the Packers.

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Since'61's picture

February 18, 2016 at 10:08 am

Al - thanks for the update on Guion. I agree, his contract is very Packer friendly. Thanks, Since '61

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

February 18, 2016 at 09:25 am

Fairly middle of the pack place kicker. We should re-sign Crosby. I'd be fine with something in the 3 yr, $8 to $8.5 million area and about 25% guaranteed.

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zoellner25's picture

February 18, 2016 at 12:10 pm

anyone know what the top 3-5 kickers made last year? I have nothing to compare to.

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zoellner25's picture

February 18, 2016 at 01:08 pm

Thanks Evan. Crosby was the 15th highest paid K last year in terms of $ per year. He probably deserves to be a top 7 K, which will be around $3.2-3.6 million/year.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

February 18, 2016 at 07:23 pm

Zoellner, Jersey Al is going to have a stroke if Crosby is paid like a top 7 place kicker! Many do not think Crosby is particularly good. Personally, I do not care too much about the AAV, but I do care about his guaranteed money given his history of the yips.

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Ibleedgreenmore's picture

February 18, 2016 at 03:35 pm

He has to be next on the list, we do not want to have a newbie with only a few years left with Rodgers winding down.

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D Ernesto's picture

February 18, 2016 at 04:22 pm

Yes one of the few quality people on this team

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Bearmeat's picture

February 18, 2016 at 05:04 pm

I didn't think about Bennett at TE!! If he's released that would be SO MUCH better than having to sign a FA. No comp pick given up.

He's a RZ threat. He can block. And he can outmuscle CBs, outrun linebackers and most safeties.

Come on Bears. Let him go. And GET HIM TT!!

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